Why Creative Media Skills Can Result in a Lucrative Career

A career in the creative industries can provide a great sense of job satisfaction, while being financially fulfilling.

Working in the creative sector is all about using one’s imagination to develop new ideas and techniques. Careers in this sector can span a very wide range – from art directors, photographers and filmmakers to animators and much more. However, a question which is often asked is – how lucrative is a career in creative media? It’s a common misconception that artists and design professionals are poorly paid or have to work part-time jobs just to get by. In fact, the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report includes ‘creativity’ in the top 10 skills which will be in demand in 2020 and will be required by at least a third of all jobs.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the reasons why a creative career can provide a great sense of job satisfaction, while being financially fulfilling.

The creative sector is booming

In the UK, the creative industries generated £91.8 billion in gross added value in 2016, which represented year-on-year growth of 7.6%, compared with 3.5% for the UK economy as a whole, according to the UK’s Creative Industries Federation. Closer to home, according to reports from CISAC, Africa and the Middle East are rising markets for Cultural and Creative sectors, generating roughly US $58 billion in revenues. Studies further estimate that creative industries are growing at more than 10% a year in the Middle East. This means the sector is growing and offers a host of opportunities for employment as well as career progression.

Creative roles less likely to be replaced by automation

Research shows that 87% of creative jobs are at low or no risk of automation compared to other industries. This is because the skills used in innovation cannot be easily replaced by a machine or artificial intelligence. Instead, computers complement some of the most creative processes in this industry, making creative skills more productive. Some examples are the use of computers in the newsroom, or while editing a film, or for a DJ who may want to mix music, and more. In an age where workers worry about their jobs being taken over by machines, this is a good example of an industry where jobs are future proof.

Wide range of jobs

The creative industry has a huge range of jobs and career paths to choose from. There are potential opportunities in big companies as well as smaller firms and not-for-profit organisations. A creative worker could choose to start at the bottom and work his way through to the top of a multinational media company or he could put together a portfolio of his work and seek part-time work, temporary contracts or self-employment. Possibly no other industry today offers the flexibility and variety that the creative industry offers, while being fulfilling. At the same time, if one is looking for the stability of permanent employment, this is also possible. For example, web designers or advertising copywriters can opt for permanent employment in media agencies if they so desire.

Diverse and transferable skills

While talent can open the doors to a creative career, it is equally important to develop technical skills and an ability to solve problems creatively. Such skills for graduates are transferable across both artistic and non-artistic sectors, thereby giving one many more career paths to choose from. Studies by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) state that creativity is consistently identified as the most significant predictor for the likelihood of growth for an occupation between now and 2030.

About the Author

Fadi Abdul Khalek is the General Manager of SAE Institute Dubai. He is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the institution by working with the board of directors and the executive management team to establish long-range goals and policies. In his role, Abdul Khalek oversees all operations and business activities to ensure they produce the desired results and are consistent with the overall strategy and mission of the SAE Institute.

Prior to joining SAE, Abdul Khalek was the Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Efficacy at Pearson Education. In this role, he oversaw Pearson’s transformation in the Middle East into a holistic learning provider with a focus on technology, efficacy and workforce readiness.

In the past, Abdul Khalek worked for other education companies such as McGraw-Hill Education and UKS, one of the leading eLearning organisations in the Middle East with operations in Europe, Asia and North America.

Abdul Khalek brings more than 12 years of experience in academic and corporate education and was involved in the research, development and implementation of various knowledge-based technologies, seven years of which were within IBM Business Services Division.

He has also served on the board of several regional and international organisations, including the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG), which he currently chairs.